Deep South
by SuzySorrowLess
Summary: "Everything is gonna be okay", Hotch said. Right. Rosslyn thought, but this was before Spencer and Florence got arrested for murdering my ex-husband. Rose is heading to Atlanta, to proof her sisters and her agents innocence. The team joins her, but it doesnt look good. Sequel to "New boss, new luck." There is a summary at the beginning of the new story. Pairing Hotch/OC, Reid/OC
1. Chapter 1

_Hi and welcome back. This is part 2 of New boss, new luck. It might be an advantage, to know part one. But here is a little look back. Feel free to join in._

_Chief Strauss got a temporary replacement, Rosslyn Baines. From Atlanta, single mother of a 15-year old daughter and former protégée from Jason Gideon. Hotch and Jack meet her and Billie in a store, not knowing who she is. Rose and Hotch fall in love with each other, but decide, to keep their relationship professional, when it comes to light, she is the new boss. Billie doesn´t accept this, she continues to visit Jack and Hotch. She loves Jack like a little brother and she looks up to Hotch, who treats her like his own, when Billie gets sexually assaulted by her boyfriend. Rose, being at a conference has news of her own. Her night, three months ago with Hotch, had consequences._

_If that wasn´t trouble enough, Roses younger sister Florence arrives from Paris. Her ex-boyfriend is chasing her, Flo took something from him. Spencer is dragged into it, unwillingly. He starts to like Flo, even if she is the most eccentric girl, he ever met. Flo´s boyfriend Alain, an art thief, catches them together in Reid´s apartment, holding them hostage, until he gets his Picasso back._

_Hotch and Rose are on time and Alain gets arrested. Flo had to take quite something, Alain hit her hard._

_Finally Rose tells Hotch about the baby, she is expecting. Hotch is a bit shocked, at first, but he loves Rose and he loves the child, too._

_This is where we left the Hotchner family. Flo and Spencer´s trip to Atlanta happens about 2 weeks later._

_**DISCLAIMER: I don´t own Criminal minds, I don´t gain any money with this, it´s written just for fun**__._

_So, let´s get started. English isn´t my usual language, so please be patient and don´t kill me for the grammar, it might be unusual sometimes. But have fun, anyway...oh and please, some reviews would be great._

**_XXX_**

Florence and Spencer stood in a row at the American Airlines counter and constantly got strange looks by the other people waiting. Flo's face still looked like after a boxing match, her ex-boyfriend had done a great job. Reid did somehow feel the need to constantly explain that he wasn´t a basher. "Oh, loosen up, Doc. No one thinks that you´re a thug, you´re only a half-pint." Flo said with a wry grin, Reid himself wasn´t sure about that.

"Atlanta, please. Twice. At 1 p.m.," Spencer said.

"First class?" the assistant asked, Reid shook his head and wanted to ask for tickets in economy class, when Florence intervened.

"Of course we are flying first class, economy is out of the question." She handed the woman at the counter a black credit card.

"I'll do it," she said, as Spencer protested. Oh great, Spencer thought. Now I´m not only a basher, but also a gigolo. Gosh, Reid wanted some of Morgan's sovereignty, only a little bit. Morgan, who had asked him if he still had all his marbles, after Spencer said that he´d accompany the Chief´s sister to Atlanta.

"Women like Florence are pure poison for you, pretty boy", had been Derek's exact words. Spencer, however was simply tired of being treated like a little boy from Morgan, he just decided to ignore the warnings of his colleague.

**XXX**

"What´s on your mind?" Hotch asked his future wife in the small kitchenette of the BAU.

"Spencer," came promptly from Rosslyn.

"Spencer? Uh, that hurt. You told me, you´re thinking about me, all the time."

Hotch made one of his rare jokes and Rose nudged him affectionately.

"I´m just concerned, Flo has not yet recovered, she refuses to tell me what was going on with my ex-husband and she has looped with Reid to Georgia. Don´t tell me I should not worry."

"No, I'm saying you should have a bit more confidence in one of your agents and your sister anyway. I know, Florence is a little," Hotch was looking for a suitable word, "peculiar."  
"Oh, come on, 'peculiar' doesn´t hit the spot," Morgan interjected, who joined them. "No offense, Chief."

Rose shrugged, Morgan was right. Since Reid knew her sister, he was pursued, got a ticket for speeding, sexual harassment and attempted bribery, his home was destroyed and he was handcuffed to the bed. To be honest, Florence didn´t bring people, and of course herself, in trouble on purpose. Not at all, it was like trouble was looking for Flo and then it just happened.

"Chief Baines?" Rose said into her cell phone. "Yes, Mr. Bennett, I am waiting for your call since yesterday. Your construction supervisor has spoken of static problems. No, I don´t understand, Mr. Bennett," Rose muttered angrily, "we don´t want to tear down any walls in the attic, we want drywall. Yeah, I also think we should talk about this issue again. I´ll be home by 5 p.m. today. What? Then you will have to skip that. May I remind you, your construction business isn´t the only one out there and finally I pay you appropriately. Yes. That´s what I was expecting to hear. See you at half past 5."

"What did he say?" Hotch wanted to know. Jack and he had moved over the weekend to Rosslyn and Billie´s place and now tried to make the most out of Roses house. "He´s coming this evening, we´ll talk about the attic again. We clarify that today, hopefully." Rose was angry, craftsmen. At first, everything was no problem at all, until the problems popped up like mushrooms after the rain. She just felt ripped off by the construction company.

"Why are you going to change something? Your home not necessarily occurred small to me, Chief," Morgan was curious and asked.

He and Rossi had helped with the moving boxes, so he knew Rosslyn´s home. "Billie wants to spread herself out a little bit, she said we could use her room for something else."

"What for?" Morgan was confused.

"Tell him," Rose said to Hotch, laughed and walked into her office.

**XXX**

"How difficult it can be to land an aircraft," Florence nagged at her seat. Reid sighed, "because that's not only a bit of rain, what´s coming down now, but a powerful thunderstorm with a downpour."

"I always thought pilots practice situations this," Flo was unhappy, she wanted to be at home.

"Tell me about your family," Reid tried to distract her a little. He had just remembered, it wasn´t a good idea to quote statistics about plane crashes in this situation.

"Maman, Marie is originally from the city of Nice. Papa was on vacation with Rosie in southern France. Rosie's mother died in a car accident, when she was in Jack´s age. Maman has instantly fallen in love with the two of them and followed Papa to Atlanta. A few years later I was born and another few years later, our youngest sis, Corinne. She´s 21 and doing an internship in Scotland, at a fellow distillery of Papa."

Reid had such a feeling that Flo stacked deep, when she called her father a distiller. She had a black credit card, that meant, without any limit. He was looking forward to her family. Reid's family background was not necessarily the cream of the crop, to put it mildly, he was not talking about it, not if he had to. Flo shifted in the seat, her ribs ached again, Alain knew how to slam.

She leaned against Spencer, "Thank you, for joining me, I've already said that, right?" Reid smiled, "about a hundred times." He put his arm around Florence, it felt right when he did that.

"Cherie? 'ow long said the man, it will take?"

Charles Evans looked at his wife, smiling. She still looked like the 20-year old, beautiful woman, he met in Nice, almost 30 years ago. She was jumping up and down, could hardly wait to finally wrap her daughter in her arms. They knew from Rosslyn, what happened in Washington, Florence had escaped a disaster. Nevertheless, Charles Evans was shocked, when his daughter stepped into the arrival hall. She was wearing big sunglasses, but they hid only very inadequate in how many colors Flo´s face was shimmering. Behind Flo was a lanky young man. That had to be Dr. Reid, Rose had told Charles about him, also.

"Oh, mon Dieu, mon Dieu!" Marie put her hand to her mouth, what had this cretin done to her daughter?

"Maman!" Florence sobbed and rushed into her mother´s arms.

"You must be Dr. Reid," Charles said to the young man who had stopped, a bit uncertain. Reid nodded, "Spencer, please," he blushed again as he shook hands with Flo's father. "Welcome to Atlanta, Spencer, even though the circumstances could be better." Charles shook Spencer's hand vigorously and Spencer liked Flo's father immediately.

Reid was not surprised at all, when Charles turned onto a small side street, at the end of it there was a huge estate. Reid almost expected to see Scarlett O'Hara in the driveway, the ambience overwhelmed Spencer. An employee led Reid in one of the guest rooms. "Dinner at 7:30 p.m., Sir. You want to be picked up?"

"Uh, no, I´ll find the way," Spencer said, a bit irritated and grabbed his bag to unpack. A little later there was a knock at the door.

"Spencer?" Florence asked from outside, "can I come in?"

Reid opened the door, "of course, your father is just a 'distiller'?"

Florence smiled, "Maman says, you should never swagger with what you have."

"This is very reasonable from your mum," Spencer said seriously. He looked at Florence. How pretty she is, he thought. She wore a short, red dress, formfitting in the right places and she didn´t wear a bra, Reid took note of that with a low moan. He knew she did it on purpose, she probably wanted to make sure that he lost his mind. And she was on the right track.

"I knew, you´d like it," Flo put her arms around Spencer's neck and pressed her lips gently on his. She knew Reid for about two weeks now, she knew he needed time. She pulled back from him. "Let´s have something to eat," Flo said and took Reid's hand.

The dinner went pretty well and in a very pleasant atmosphere, Reid watched, fascinated, how close Flo's parents were. Hardly a minute passed by, where they did not touch each other or smiled at each other. And just like at Rosslyn´s table, there wasn´t anything negative mentioned at the dining table. That changed, however, when Charles and Spencer changed place and sat down in the library, after dinner.  
Flo's dad handed Reid a very generous bourbon.

"So tell me, Spencer, what exactly happened in DC? Rosslyn has expressed herself very vague to the matter." Charles looked invitingly at Spencer.

"Um, Flo had difficulties in Paris, with her boyfriend. She decided to leave and to pay Rose a visit. Flo had no idea that her boyfriend was a wanted art thief. He tracked her down, when she was with me and demanded back his property, Florence was in possession of a stolen Picasso."

"And you handed the picture over?" Reid took a long gulp, this was about to get difficult.

"No, sir, if I had done that, Flo would have been dead."

"So you watched this bastard abusing my daughter?" Evans said sharply.

"I knew my colleagues were close, Sir, also I was handcuffed to the bed. There was nothing I could do."

"You are sure he would have killed my daughter?"

"Without a doubt, Sir, van Szandt was going to totally lose control." Spencer poured the rest of the glass down his throat.

Charles refilled Spencer´s glass.

"And Rosie's boy friend, this Agent Hotchner? Is he good enough for my child and my granddaughter?"

Reid cleared his throat. "I don´t think Rosslyn could find someone who loves her and Billie more than Hotch does."

Evans seemed to have calmed down, he stopped to walk around the room and sat down.

"It is difficult to have three daughters and two of them having a penchant for adventure," Charles sighed. "But I'm not so much worried about Rosslyn, she was always able to take care of herself. But Florence, she is so carefree and flighty, she needs someone to keep her on the ground, Spencer, you know?"

"I-I do not know if that might be me, Sir." Reid stammered uncertainly. Charles laughed, "You´re exactly the right one, Spencer. And now stop calling me Sir, it´s Charles."

**XXX**

"I'll get it," Hotch said as the doorbell rang. Outside stood a very thin, young man with chin long hair and a shy smile.

"Good evening, Sir. I'm Ethan Ford, Isabelle and I know each other from the ballet. She forgot her cell phone, I wanted to return it."

"Billie and Jack are in the backyard. Come on in, Ethan." Hotch let him in.

"Who is it?" asked Rose from the kitchen.

"A visitor for Billie, she lost her cell phone. The right door leads to the kitchen, there is an exit to the garden." Hotch turned back to Ethan.

"Good evening, Mrs. Baines," Ethan said politely.

"Hi Ethan," Rose answered, she knew the boy. "Billie is outside, playing football with Jack. Just go."

Hotch joined Rose in the kitchen, "do we have to worry about him?"

Rose laughed," I don´t think so. Jack said, Ethan is not her kiss-friend."

"Kiss-friend?"

"Yes, according to Jack there are two kinds of friends. The one´s you kiss and the one´s you don´t. If you look at it from this perspective, you're my kiss-friend now."

Hotch had to laugh," where did he get that? Andy?"

" Certainly, Andy also told him, how to make babies. We´ll have to tell Jack that I'm pregnant, Aaron. For Jack, I'm still "Billie´s Mum". I love Jack, I mean, I don´t expect him to call me Mum, but I want him to know, what´s going on."

"You worry about that?" Hotch asked," I´m gonna talk to Jack, today."

He kissed Rose on her neck and put both hands on her belly, Hotch felt the little bulge already and smiled all over. He couldn´t wait to hold his little one.

"Jack is going to be a perfect brother to little dwarfy", he said and Rose groaned.

"Oh, Lord. I wish you and Billie would stop, calling him or her 'little dwarfy'. I always imagine, giving birth to Sleepy or Grumpy and I don´t find that funny at all."

She threatened Hotch with a wooden spoon, "Don´t you laugh, Aaron!"


	2. Theory and Practice

Reid had problems. Spencer´s hardest drink was Bud light, and now he had to deal with three bourbon´s, Charles Evans had poured him. And to be honest, they weren´t double, to call them triples would be more appropriate. Spencer began to giggle, the floor was moving up and down like a rollercoaster.

"Spencer?" Florence asked, "Oh Lord, Papa made you drunk? Why didn´t you say stop?"

"You're so sweet, Flo," Spencer mumbled, leaning heavily on her, "can I kiss you?" Flo grinned, she seriously doubted that Reid still could. He was full as a harbor dive and smelled like one, either. Flo dragged him into his room and her ribs acknowledged that with a sharp pain. "Shit," Florence cursed and dropped Reid on his bed. She wondered if she should take his clothes off, Flo chuckled. It would drive Spencer mad, not to know, if something had happened. She decided not to push it too far, Flo didn´t want to scare Spencer off. She didn´t wanna loose him, Flo felt so warm and comfortable with him, something, she never felt before. Reid took her seriously and cared for her. The first time in Flo´s life, she listened to her heart. Spencer was her special person, like Hotch was Rosie´s. She didn´t know why, maybe because he had refused to sleep with her, or because he accepted nothing, that wasn´t perfect, but accepted her, and she wasn´t perfect at all.

Or maybe because he was so different from Richard. Rosslyn´s ex-husband. Ask me for an asshole, and I´ll point at Richard Baines, Flo thought bitterly. When he first hit on her, Flo was just sixteen and had no idea what Richard wanted from her. He literally courted her, Rosslyn had just moved out and filed for divorce. Her sister didn´t know, what Richard was up to and Flo remained silent. She felt a little flattered by the attentions of the elder man and on her seventeenth birthday, he dragged her into his bed. He could be very charming, Florence remembered, as long as he got what he wanted. Otherwise, he was talking her down, mercilessly. Persuaded her, being worthless, easy to have and a shameless little thing. And he threatened her, Rose wouldn´t talk to her again, if she found out. Flo fled to the university and took her problems with her. She tried to find some peace of mind, but always with the wrong men. Alain had been her last flop and he would remain her last one. Tomorrow she´d pay Richard a visit, tell him what´s up and everything would be different.

**XXX**

Rosslyn was almost asleep on the couch, while it was still less than 8 p.m. Hotch brought Jack to bed and Rose took the opportunity to doze a bit. I am no longer twenty-five, she thought, the hormonal changes made Rose feel exhausted. Plus the expansion of the attic, the earlier discussion with the construction supervisor was fierce but had been successful. Aaron came into the living room and looked at her carefully. Rose looked tired, but she smiled unconsciously, like she so often did. He took the blanket off the chair and put it on her.

"Sit with me," she said softly and slid to give Hotch some room. He did her a favor and pulled her legs over his lap. "Oh, God, Aaron, don´t you stop," Rose purred as he massaged her feet.

He laughed softly, "it's so easy to make you happy?"

"Hm," Rosslyn said.

"I've spoken to Jack."

Rose sat up, "and?"

"He asked if it´s okay for Billie to become a big sister, then it´s okay for him too, to become a big brother." Hotch hugged Rose lovingly. "All right, do you see?"

**XXX**

"So, here I am. Tell me again, why I´m wasting my little leisure time with you?" Prentiss asked Morgan in the bar, he had ordered her.

"I´m worried," Derek said vaguely.

"Okay, what about?"

"Everything? Spencer and the crazy one, Rosslyn?"

"This keeps you busy all the time? What concerns you about the Chief, Morgan?" Emily wanted to know.

"I am concerned by the fact that she's pregnant?"

Em started laughing, "You didn´t know?"

"No?"

"Morgan, it´s so obvious. Didn´t you notice, how Hotch is caring for her? Both of them are shining with love and joy, even Hotch. I never saw him look like this. And you can see her belly, already."

"I don´t watch my Chief´s belly, Prentiss." Morgan said stiffly.

Prentiss stroked Derek´s arm, "Mostly you´re thinking about Reid, right?"

Morgan nodded, "Florence isn´t good for him. He is on the wrong track, he´s got last-minute panic, I guess."

Emily frowned, "last-minute panic? Reid? Don´t get me wrong, Morgan, but you're wrong in the garret. How do you get to such nonsense?"

Derek took a long sip from his glass. "When we flew back from Frenzy, after this dinner in the hotel?"

"When Hotch and the Chief almost ripped their clothes off?" Prentiss asked with a grin, "one of my favorite memories," she laughed.

"Could you keep a straight face, please?"

Morgan really has a problem, Emily thought, pretty surprised.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

"Reid talked to me, on our flight back home. Holy shit, Prentiss. He talked about the fact that he wants someone to love him. And then this Florence-person popped up and Reid turned into windfalls. You allow me, to worry about that, right?"

Emily threw Morgan a serious look, "Reid isn´t a little boy anymore, Morgan. I know, you feel responsible for him, but he can take care of himself. And if you're honest, Florence is a nice girl, a little quirky, but she means no harm."

"I had no idea that you´re using words like 'quirky'," Morgan started to laugh.

** XXX**

Reid, who could take good care of himself, just came back from the bathroom. He had built up a very intense relationship with the bathroom installations, in the last fifteen minutes, and still felt bad. How could he drink bourbon with Charles, Reid felt like an idiot. He wanted to look like a man and this was the result. He had to puke again. His head was twice his size, Spencer needed some fresh air and he opened the curtains carelessly. Groaning, he turned away, his gaze remained hanging on the dresser. On it was a large bottle of water, a glass and a packet of Advil. In addition, a message. _ I thought you might_ _need this, doc. _ For decoration Florence had left a kiss imprint. Spencer looked at his watch, 9.30 a.m., he must have slept like a log.

**XXX**

Florence was on her way to Richard. He was one of the largest contractors in Atlanta, Flo placed her car in the parking lot of "Baines Constructions".

"Florence Evans for Richard Baines," Flo said at the counter. She borrowed Rosslyn´s chief voice, she knew, this always worked for Rose.

"You have an appointment?" the receptionist asked.

"I'm his sister-in-law, I do not need one," Flo replied briskly.

"I can take Miss Evans upstairs," a blonde in her mid-twenties with short skirt and very tight shirt said. "I'm Laura Kendall, Rick's fiancée," the blonde explained.

Flo cast a critical eye over her, "you´re a little too old for this, I guess. "Rick" is preferring only fresh meat, if I remember correctly."

Laura was speechless by the insolence of her company.

"Oh, you didn´t know?" Flo asked innocently, "I was seventeen, when he talked me into his bed."

Laura became pale, what was this girl talking about? The elevator stopped with a loud _pling_ and Flo left it with quick steps, toward Richard's office. Past the stunned secretary, she bursted into a meeting.

"Hi Richard, I wanted to talk to you."

"Florence," Richard said, unpleasantly surprised, "I'm in the middle of an important meeting, you will have to wait."

"I don´t care about your fucking meeting, Richard! Send them out, or everyone is going to hear, what I have to say, and you wouldn´t want that, would you?" Flo was determined to make a clean sweep.

"Well, gentlemen, we must pause for a while, my secretary will provide you with everything you need, thank you." A few minutes later, Flo and Richard were alone.

"Long time, no see, Florence. Have you finally found someone, who shows you where your place is?" Richard asked mockingly, referring to her bruises.

"You're still an asshole, Richard. Some things never change." Flo replied, "except that matters nothing to me anymore. But I need to tell you something. You treated me like dirt! Me, your wife´s sister! And you´re such a dirtbag, you were not ashamed to touch me! You nearly ruined my life, Richard, I do hate you so much!"

"This includes always two of us, I don´t know what you want, you didn´t change, you still look like a slut to me."

"Call me that again and I'll stab this in your not existing heart!" Florence grabbed a knife that was lying next to the fruit plate.

Richard took a step back, "don´t talk nonsense, Flo."

"Nonsense? I don´t think so, it´s a good thing if the world gets rid of a guy who takes on young girls. I´m considering that, seriously." Florence left the office, she didn´t pay any attention to Laura and the secretary.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" Laura asked as she walked into Richard's office.

"AARGG", Flo yelled in the parking lot, this went bad. Why wasn´t she more like Rose, her sis always had this quiet way, even if she was mad at someone. Flo shook her head. So what. Florence felt relieved, somehow. She told Richard, what she wanted to tell him and this was over. Time to start anew, with Spencer. She was opening the door of her car, when Laura came.

"Please wait!" she said and turned to Flo.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know if you told the truth about Rick."

"Why should I lie? Your beloved "Rick" is into young girls. He is clever, not even my sister noticed something. And I was so stupid to keep my mouth shut, that's enough information for you?" Flo got into her car and drove off. She left Laura behind, stunned.

**XXX**

"Would you like some tea, Spencer? We also 'ave café au lait, if you want." Marie Evans joined Reid for breakfast, Charles was back in the distillery.

"You are very, 'ow to say it, skinny, Spencer, you eat enough? Take a croissaint, they are still warm."

Spencer had to smile, Marie talked as much as Flo, but it didn´t bother him, Marie had retained her French accent, Reid liked the way she swallowed the letter "h" and when she called him Spencer that always sounded some how like "Spansar". Reid could hear the love and care in Marie's voice, his mother had never spoken to him in this way, not that he could remember.

"Why 'ave you come 'ere with my daughter, can I ask you this?" Marie suddenly wanted to know.

"Florence has asked me to, Mrs. Evans."

"Non Spencer, it´s Marie s´íl vous plait. You came, because you like my daughter?" "Oui, Madame," Spencer said.

Marie nodded, "bon", she hugged Reid warmly. "I´m thinking, Florence likes you as well." Spencer blushed whether the unexpected affection that Marie was showing. Apparently, it did not matter to Charles or Marie, that he was a little weird, sometimes. He now understood Hotch, who had admitted unconditionally to Rose. The love and warmth that prevailed in this family, brought glaciers to melt.

Florence found Spencer in the library, where else, Flo thought. She had just the idea of Spencer on a horse and had to chuckle.

"I never know if you´re laughing with me or about me, Flo," Reid said, slightly irritated. He was still unsure of how things were supposed to go, with Flo and him. Before he could make additional thoughts, Florence was sitting on his lap, kissing him. "I would never laugh about you, doc, you know?" She stroked his hair and looked deep into his eyes. "Never, Spencer."

Reid put his arms around her waist and pulled her close, "Florence," he said softly, stroking her back. Flo slowly pulled his shirt out of his pants and began to unbutton his vest. Reid groaned, "Flo, someone might come in here."

"Our staff is very discreet," Flo breathed heavily, she had just realized what reaction she provoked in Spencer, they had not even really started and he was already hard.

Five minutes later, after they changed place to Flo´s room, Reid knelt on Florence bed. He leaned toward her and took her shirt off, hastily.

"Slowly, doc, we´ve got time," Flo said, kissing him again. "You've done this before, right?" Florence was curious and grinned when Reid turned red.

"Twice," Spence said, he was always honest. And he had never wanted it that much, like this time.

"Oh Lord, Flo, I cannot wait, I´m so sorry" almost in panic, he pushed Flo away and disappeared into the bathroom. She remained sitting on the bed, surprised. Why did he leave?

"Will you ever come out of the bathroom, again?" she asked after a while, "Spencer, it does not matter that you had to cum, that's the whole point, you know?"

"But not that early," Reid answered and came back in.

"Sit with me," Flo said, patting on her bed. Reid followed her instructions and looked at her.

"Actually, that's a compliment for me, Spencer, to be wanted that much. It´s nice, you know?" Flo was trying to be sensitive, Spencer didn´t have much experience, he needed guidance. She took his hand and placed it on her bare breast. "Touch me, Spencer, stop thinking...just feel, Spence. Do what ever you want, it´s ok with me. No concerns, Spence, love me. I know you can do it." Reid nodded, he began to undress Flo, very slow. For every piece of clothing she lost, he also lost one. Flo moaned, when Reid started to kiss her everywhere, she also felt his hands as they stroked her hip and found their way between her legs. Spencer was gently but firmly, his mouth followed his hands purposefully and Flo exploded when she came. "Spencer, for heaven's sake, French style?" Reid laughed, he had pushed his uncertainty aside, to please Flo.

"Sometimes you can apply what you've read, Missy," he said, imitating Flo's wide accent. Flo giggled, "then we should try the complementarity between theory and practice."


	3. Trees and bushes

"I can take it," Rossi said, as he met Rosslyn armed with a mountain of files in the hallway.

"Oh, come on. Everyone seems to pack me up in cotton wool, Rossi. I´m just pregnant. Morgan wanted to carry my teapot from the kitchenette to my office, earlier and Garcia asked me, what color I want for the baby socks."

Dave laughed, "I am afraid this will get worse, we're all just happy for you and Hotch."

Rose also had to laugh, "I'm trying to prepare for it. Thanks Dave, honestly, I'm glad that everyone responded so relaxed. Drew looked, like he was going to slap me, at first, but his congratulations sounded honest, at least."

"And what about Jack?" Rossi wanted to know.

"His comment was completely unspectacular, if it's okay for Billie, it is also for him. But this morning he looked at my belly, very critical. I guess, it´s not that easy for him. Aaron says, Jack is ok, but I´m not so sure."

"Jack is a great boy, Chief, you don´t have to worry about him."

Rose nodded, "You know, Dave, somehow this whole thing scares the hell out of me. Everything works out pretty well, it´s way too smooth, you know what I mean?"

**XXX**

In the late afternoon, Flo and Spencer still remained in bed. Reid watched Flo, she was sleeping in his arms. Reid was thinking about the future. The way, Flo would be changing his life, if they´d stay together. Flo was a child of the South, Spencer loved Washington and his job, he had no intention to leave it all behind. And could Flo imagine to stay in DC? Reid looked around in her room, in one of her shelves were trophies, she had taken part in equestrian events and had been apparently very successful. He doubted if she´d understand his job correctly. Rosslyn knew the risk, it was her every day life, but Flo?

"They are still a no-show?" Charles asked his wife on the terrace. They drank tea and intended to wait for Florence and Spencer, but obviously they had better things to do. Marie smiled, "they are young and they are in love, ma chere. You know 'ow that is, non?" Charles grinned, he knew exactly what that meant.

The sudden and early death of his first wife had left him desperately. His friends tried everything to make the loss bearable, sometimes he had a feeling of suffocation among all this comfort and sentimentality. He grabbed Rosslyn and went to the South of France with her. Eleanor and he had been there on their honeymoon and Charles showed Rose all the places, her mother loved. And then there was this woman in Nice. On a bike, he bumped into her. Marie de la Tour, who enriched his life and his daughter´s in so many ways. First with Florence and then with Corinne. Flo, who was exactly like her mother and Corinne, who had been a quiet, serious child who had inherited her father's business acumen. It didn´t feel like drama to him, to have no son, not like Richard Baines. His girls were everything, Charles had ever wanted. He was still angry with Richard, he could remember exactly, how disparaging he had been, when his child turned out to be a girl. Charles never saw his Rose that hurt. Charles knocked Richard out, while they where still in the hospital, no one had the right, to hurt his loved ones without getting punished.

**XXX**

"Don´t you tell me, you´re still thinking about Reid and Flo?" Prentiss asked in the jet. Morgan only growled.

"Maybe you should care of your own private life, instead of breaking your head over Reid and his girlfriend. Oh, wow. That sounded weird. I mentioned Reid and girlfriend in one sentence." Emily grinned. "Isn´t there someone who´s distracting you a bit, Morgan?"

Emily poked around a little, Morgan had not mentioned any girls in the last couple of weeks.

"Maybe I have decided to live a celibate life," Morgan said, putting on his headphones. Prentiss almost fell off the seat laughing and conceded a stern look from Hotch, but the effect fizzled, Emily saw him smile. Rose does make him happy, Em thought, surprised. She had already lost hope, to see Hotch that way again.

**XXX**

For dinner, Flo and Reid dared to leave the bedroom. Reid was surprised, there was no, what ever comment from Flo's parents. Marie just smiled and Charles looked nothing, but relaxed.

"Florence, no cell phones at the table, did you forget about that?" he admonished his daughter yet.

"I'm sorry, Papa, it was important."

Reid looked at her, questioningly, "it was a text message from Richard," she answered his unasked question.

"Since when are you getting text messages from Richard?", Charles had to ask and he was only a second faster than Reid, who wanted to ask exactly the same.

"I paid him a visit, this morning. In his office."

"Alone?" Reid wanted to know, of course, she didn´t tell him a single word. "I thought you wanted me to accompany you?"

Flo snorted, "You think, I can´t take care of my personal shit?"

"Nope, you can´t, Flo. Do I have to remind you of Alain? Oh no, wait. Everyone can see it in your face, how well you can take care of yourself!"

Flo stood up, abruptly. Her chair fell to the ground.

"You're such an asshole, Reid!" With one last bitter look at Reid Florence left the dining room.

**XXX**

"Hey Jack, how was the last day of school?" Rose wanted to know, when Jack came home. Billie was glad because of the summer holidays, Rosslyn knew, but Jack liked going to school. There wasn´t an answer from Jack, so Rose took a look. His book bag was lying in front of the cloak rack and there was no sign of Jack. So great, Rose thought. Aaron and the team were heading to Ohio, to investigate a series of bank robberies, Billie was still at her ballet class. She tried to ignore the wave of nausea as she climbed the stairs to Jack's room, but had to sit down on the landing. Rose groaned, if that was a foretaste of the coming months, then they would not be easy. Rose was fond of having that baby, but somehow she imagined it, to be a bit easier than it was with Billie.

"Jack? What´s up, you okay?" she asked and stood up. She heard Jack muffle in his room. "Ye-hes".

Before Rose had the chance to ask if she could come in, her phone rang.

"Baines? Mrs. Who? Oh, Andy's Mum, what can I do for you?" Rose sat down on the stairs again. "Mrs. Fenton, please, what exactly did Jack do?" She held her cell phone away from her ear, Mrs. Fenton was yelling. Meanwhile, Jack peeked out the door and did not look happy. "Mrs. Fenton, my boy doesn´t whack classmates. What? No, Mrs. Fenton, I will not interfere. This is between the boys, not between parents. Oh my gosh, Mrs. Fenton. This is ridiculous, the longer I talk to you, the more I guess, Andy has earned this. Yes, you´re welcome too."

Rose hung up, "what an oil can."

"Daddy says, it´s not nice, to say such things," Jack answered and Rose turned around.

Jack's pants and had a crack, his shirt was missing a button, it hung halfway out of his pants as well. Rosslyn slipped on the stairs a bit and patted at the space beside her. "Why don´t you sit with me, Jack?" He shook his head. "Why not, you think, I want to scold you?" she asked cautiously.

"Pfff, I´m not afraid of being scolded, Billie´s Mum. Andy was stupid and mean." Jack said rebellious and Rose laughed, "you're priceless, you know that? You can tell me, why you whacked Andy."

"Andy said that you won´t love Billie and me no more," he said hesitantly. I knew it, Rosslyn thought. Jack wouldn´t get over the baby that easily.

"Listen to me, Jack. I will never ever stop loving you and Billie. I promise."

"Andy said, you`ll only love the baby and that you´re only Billie´s Mum, not mine. And I´m a step child. I don´t know, what that means." Jack looked very seriously and Rose opened her arms for Jack.

"Come here, honey. I know I'm not your real Mom, and I don´t want to replace her, Jack. But I love you, like I love Billie and like your Dad loves Billie, even he isn´t her real father. And for Billie you´re her little brother, nothing will ever change that, Jack. You don´t have to be afraid, because of the baby, Jack. I won´t lie to you, we´ll have to take extra care of little dwarfy, because he or she is so little, but you can help me, if you like. That ok for you?"

Jack nodded and snuggled close to Rose. "I love you, Rosie. Can I touch your belly?" and then, after a little pause, "why are you crying, Rosie?"

**XXX**

"Wait, Flo! Don´t be stupid, I wanna talk to you!" Reid shouted after her.

"Why? For insulting me again, butt head?! You behaved like Richard, in there!" Flo was more than just pissed, Reid grabbed her by the arm as he caught up with her.

"Let me go, I´ll slap you, if you don´t!" she threatened. Reid let go immediately.

"Why are you running into your misfortune, with open eyes? And why are you willfully sabotaging our relationship, Florence, don´t you wanna be happy?"

"Are you profiling me now? Don´t you do that, Doc."

Spencer was getting tired of this, "why? Because you don´t want me to learn things about you, that will make me run for the hills? That won´t happen, Florence. You mean so much to me, but you have to grow up, otherwise, I´m afraid I´ll find you someday, lying under a magnolia bush, dead."

"Tree", Flo said and began to giggle, the idea amused her.

"What tree?" Spencer asked irritated.

"Magnolias are trees, not bushes, but I guess, it don´t matter to me anymore, when I´m dead."

"What did Richard want?" Spencer now changed the subject, a bush/tree debate would lead to nothing, not with Flo.

"He wants to talk to me again, he invited me in his office."

"Now?" Spencer asked.

"No, a hundred years from now, of course, Doc." Flo snorted, she loved Spencer, but sometimes he drove her crazy, how obtuse can anyone be?

"Florence please, this is at least _trespassing_ here, if the police is turning a blind eye." Reid said half an hour later, while standing at the side entrance of Baines Constructions.

"Merde, Spencer. Richard invited me, I have not deleted the text message yet, if someone is asking. Why are you so nervous? For the fact that you're with the FBI, you're a pretty big chicken. Ouch!"

Reid tweaked her butt, spontaneously. He was sure, sooner or later he would have to shoot her. Probably sooner.  
"Now come on," Flo pulled Reid into the elevator and pressed the button for the tenth floor.

"I don´t think that's a good idea, Flo," Reid suddenly heard Morgan´s voice in his head. _Women like Florence are pure poison for you, pretty boy._

"Just keep a lookout, chicken. Ok?" Flo said, as the doors opened.


	4. Fingers in the cookie jar

"Keep a lookout is a term, used by criminals, Florence. When they are doing something wrong, just as we are now."

"Doc, you´re stepping on my nerves, just stay here, okay?" She kissed him and parked him at the wall next to the elevator.

"You can watch from here, I´ll talk to him alone. There's a lot to sort out, not just because of me." Flo walked through the hallway and went into the outer office. The lights were on, but no secretary in sight. Flo took the chance, to look around. She hoped, the document she was looking for, was in here. Flo opened a few drawers and looked over a few documents on the desk. Plans, bank records, most of it was just a blur to her. Where is it, she thought. And where was Richard? She stepped into his office.

"Richard? I always knew, you´re a coward, but hiding in your office is just cheap, even for you."

... and a few minutes later, "Shit, this is bad. REID!"

Spencer was feeling uncomfortable. How long she was already gone? Suddenly he heard Flo scream and ran to her. He crossed the outer office, entered Richard´s office...and freezed. He knew it. He´d never get this image out of his head. Florence knelt in a pool of blood in front of her former brother-in-law with her hand at the knife. Flo saw Reid's shocked look.

"Oh sweet Lord, Doc, you think I did this?!"

"Get over here, Florence," Spencer said, sounding more quiet, than he felt.

Flo stood up. "Spence. I didn´t kill him, please. Reid?" Flo was shocked, not of the fact, that Baines was dead. In Flo´s opinion he just got, what he deserved. But of the fact, how Spencer looked at her. Like a suspect. Like a stranger, like a murderer...Flo sobbed.

"We have to call the police, Florence."

"We can´t! Everyone is going to think, I killed him! Please Spencer, no one saw us here. Richard was a pig, I mean everyone could have killed him."

"But _everyone_ isn´t caught next to the body with bloody hands. Put your hands in the air, both of you." The security guard cocked his weapon.

**XXX**

Rose hoped, whoever called her at that time, would eventually stop doing it, but apparently she was wrong.

"Baines. And for God´s sake, I hope this is important.", she mumbled into the phone. "Reid? What the hell, what happened?" Rosslyn listened a few minutes, without saying a word. "Where are you now? Yeah, I know where that is. Tell Flo, to shut up. Do you understand Spencer, I´m gonna kill her, if she is saying a single word. I´ll be there, as fast, as I can."  
Ten minutes later, Rose was still sitting on her bed, unable to move. Richard was dead, bad enough, but it was worse than that. Flo was the main suspect. Good Lord, what happened down there, in Atlanta? Rose was still confused and tried to arrange her thoughts when her cell phone rang again.

"Yes, Dad, I know it already, Reid has called me. Dad, please, I don´t know. You have to call Eddie Temple, he is exactly the right person. Of course, I do trust Carl, too, but he is only our corporate lawyer, Dad. Temple is a shyster and a genius and we need this, right now. And I need the jet, oh, on it´s way? Great. Love you too, Dad. See you soon."

"Mum? Something wrong?" Billie had noticed the noises and came into the bedroom, "something happened to Hotch or little dwarfy?" She was worried, her Mum didn´t look good.

"Sit down, Isabelle," Rose said softly, scaring Billie to death. Never, never, never she was called Isabelle by her mother, not if something horrible happened. "We have to go to Atlanta," Rosslyn said and breathed deeply as Billie sat down with her on the bed. "Isabelle, your father is dead."

"W-What do you mean, dead? Mum? Was he killed by someone?" Billie was horrified. Oh Lord, she thought, Flo, what did you do?

Rose became suspicious, "Billie? Why did you ask, if he was killed?"

"I didn´t," Billie tried to lie.

"Billie, this is important, please. They arrested your aunt and Dr. Reid, you have to tell me, what´s going on."

Billie sobbed, "it's all my fault, but I've never told her to kill my father!"

Rose felt like the world was crushing down on her.

"Mum, you're hurting me," Billie cried, Rosslyn grabbed her arms, rough.

"I'm saying anything, please, Mommy. Dad called a few days ago, when you were at the office. He..he told me, I can´t stay with you because you´re not able, to take care of me. He said, he wanted full custody and that I had to come back to Atlanta. He incited his lawyer on you. Ho-Hotch said, I don´t have to worry about it, he´ll take care of it. But I thought if Flo goes home anyway, she could talk to Dad and bring him to his senses and Flo said, he will not get me no matter what she has to do. I've never thought, she would do something like that!"

Billie was a picture of misery, she sobbed and cried, clinging to her mother. Richard was lucky that he was already dead, Rose thought, otherwise I would have killed him.

**XXX**

"Okay, gentlemen, that's it for now!" Eddie Temple entered the interrogation room, Flo was sitting in and enjoyed his presence. "You´re questioning my client without his legal counsel? How many times do I have to tell you, this is quite out of the question." The tall blond man, who looked like a cowboy, placed his briefcase with a loud noise on the table.

"Miss Evans, you've made any confessions or gave any information about this case?" Flo shook her head, "I just told my name, nothing more," Florence said, sounding desperate. She wiped repeatedly at her fingers, the dark color did not come off easily. She felt humiliated, she had to stand in front of a wall, holding a sign with a number on it and got photographed. She had to undress, her clothes were put into an evidence bag, the orange jumpsuit Flo was wearing now, was just disgusting. She knew this time it would be close, she thought of Reid's remark about the magnolia tree and wondered, if Richard was probably her magnolia tree.

"Well, I'd like to speak with my client in private, gentlemen. And before I forget, you have got a second suspect, Dr. Reid into your custody? Well, his soul belongs to me, too." Eddie laughed diabolically, shooing Burke and Mayfield out.

"Eddie Temple, at your service, your sister and your father send me, Miss Evans. I'm gonna get you and your boyfriend out of here, as soon as possible."

Flo looked at the lawyer directly, "don´t you wanna know, if I killed him?"

"Rule number one for lawyers, never ask a question if you don´t want to hear the answer."

"You're a shyster, Mr. Temple," Flo stated and Eddie nodded. "That´s exactly what you need, Miss Evans. So you have been caught with your fingers in the cookie jar, if I am right?"

Reid sat in an interrogation room, for three hours now, without anyone taking care of him, when the door suddenly opened.

"Detectives Burke and Mayfield, Dr. Reid. Your lawyer has arrived, must be comforting, having Charles Evans cash in the background, Eddie Temple isn´t cheap," Mayfield said. "Yes, and Eddie is always hired by the guilty ones, if I remember correctly," Burke played the ball back to Mayfield, "and the girl is guilty as hell, you could make up ground here, Doctor, I wouldn´t count on your boss or Temple to pick the chestnuts out of the fire for you. You know, it´s a good feeling, to confess. You must know that, you´re with the FBI, at least."

"There is nothing I wanna talk about, detectives, actually we shouldn´t have this conversation, right now. Put me back into my prison cell, or let me go. I´d prefer the latter, of course."


	5. I knew it

"Rosie," Aaron said pleased, he saw her number on the display and sat up in his lonesome hotel bed. How quickly he had become accustomed to Roses presence in his bed, and yet how much he lacked her warmth and her caresses, when she was not with him.

"When did you want me to tell me about Richard's custody suit?", he heard Rose on the other end. Okay, Hotch thought, that wasn´t the kind of conversation he expected. She was pissed, clearly.

"I'm not sure if your ex-husband is that serious, Rose. He probably is just making noise. I won´t let him take our Billie, you should know that. The countersuit is already in my desk, if he really is that bold. Billie and I didn´t want to upset you, Honey", Hotch said carefully.

"Oh, so you think it upsets me less to learn that my sister stabbed Richard to death?"

"Florence did what?"

"Atlanta PD arrested Reid and Flo for murdering my ex-husband. Billie, Jack and I are on our way to Atlanta. Finish that Ohio-case, I'll need all the help that I can get." Rose said, still calm and determined, Hotch would have preferred her yelling. He knew, the calmer Rose acted, the more upset she was.

"Rose, slow down a bit, Reid would never have admitted that Flo kills anyone, not to talk about aiding and abetting."

"Florence was kneeling over Richard´s body, there isn´t a lot of room for speculations, Aaron," Rosslyn sounded resigned, Hotch heard her take a deep breath. "You feel sick again, Rose?"

He was seriously concerned, Rose hid it very well, but he knew, she had massive pregnancy problems. She was almost in the beginning of the 2nd trimester, so the nausea and dizziness should really be over if he believed in the guidebook, he secretly read. Hotch had missed so much with Jack, this should not happen to him again. He wanted to keep it as simple as possible for Rose, he wanted to support her in every single way.

"I'm fine, Aaron," she said, to Hotch this sounded like a big, fat lie.

"I don´t know all the details, but we have got a good lawyer and I'm trying to think positively, that´s all I can do at the moment. I'll call you again when I´m able to tell you something definite." Rose was silent for a moment, "I wish you were with me now, I love you." She added even before she hung up.

Aaron thoughtfully opened the little box that stood on his bedside table. He had discovered the ring yesterday at a jeweler, an old piece from an estate, it came from the Art Nouveau period, and was made of rose gold with garnets, which resulted in a stylized rose. Aaron didn´t have to think about it, the ring was perfect for "his" Rose and the official proposal, he wanted to make. But that was before this calamity had befallen them. "Thanks a lot, Florence," he said loudly and frustrated, put his clothes on and woke the rest of team.

**XXX**

The small Lear jet landed buttery soft on the runway of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta. For Jack, it was his first flight, he was accordingly excited, "Rosie, we can do it again, yes?"

Rosslyn had to smile, "of course, Jack, but not immediately. We´ll visit my Dad and my Mom, who are looking forward to you and Billie."

"Are they nice?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"Grandparents are always nice, Jacko," Billie said. She didn´t talk a lot on the flight, she was wrapped up in her own thoughts.  
"Ma Fille" Marie said, a few minutes later and stretched out her arms for Rose to hug her warmly.

"Quel malheur" whispered Marie and hugged Billie also. "And who might that be? Ah, tiens, you're Jacques, n`est-ce pas?"

Jack grinned, "Your Granny sounds funny," he said to Billie and giggled. Rose was glad that the ice was broken so quickly.

"Hello, Henry," she greeted the driver who opened the door for them. Henry smiled, "Of course, Miss Rose, so nice to see you again, you´ve been missed."

**XXX**

"Tell me again, Reid can take care of himself, Prentiss! This little bitch, I knew it, but no, what did you say, again? Oh yes, I must not break my head over Reid and his girlfriend. I knew it, Prentiss, I damn knew it!" Derek had raged for five minutes and made no effort to slow down.

"That's enough, Morgan," Hotch growled, "that won´t help."

"Aaron is right," Rossi agreed. "If we assume, Florence is innocent, and we assume that, right?" Dave looked questioningly around. Everyone nodded, even Morgan, after Emily had punched him hard on his arm, "then there must also be others who will benefit from Baines death. What do you know about Roses ex?"

Aaron shrugged, "as good as nothing. Rose speaks little about him, if she does, then she does not use very kind words. According to Billie, he took it very hard that she had left him, since he lets no opportunity pass by, to play games. To gain for full custody is his latest coup. He is trying to use the incident with Kevin, to proof that Rose isn´t able to take care of her daughter."

"But Flo doesn´t know about that, right?" Prentiss asked and ignored the lawyers first rule.

"Holy shit," she said in horror as Hotch did not answer.

"I would like to have a talk about this guilty-thing, again" Morgan said.

**XXX **

Rosslyn entered the precinct and showed her badge. "Who's your boss and where can I find him?"

"That would be Lt. Morse, third door on the left, Ma'am, but he's talking to Miss Kendall." The pavement princess, Rosslyn added in her thoughts.

"Section Chief Rosslyn Eleanor Baines, I would have never imagined, you and me, on the same side of the fence."

"Eddie Temple", Rose said, "how did you get out, I thought, hell freezes over, before you do me a favor?"

"Ever heard of road salt?" Temple asked with a grin, but suddenly got serious. "We need to talk, it does not look good," he pulled her into an empty office. "Your sister has done a great job for the prosecutor. Her visit yesterday evening was not her first one. Yesterday morning she stormed into his office, blew a meeting and threatened Baines in front of witnesses. Direct quote, Miss Evans: _Call me that again and I'll stab this in your not existing heart_. And, the icing on the cake, she had a fruit knife in her hand and told him, she was seriously considering to use it." Temple paused to Rosslyn to give the opportunity to process what she heard.

"And this turns _on impulse_ into _with intent_", Rose recognized in shock.

**A/N still no review? Is it that bad, guys? Some feedback would be nice.**


	6. Do I go to hell?

Rosslyn had to sit down. "Did Florence talk about her ex-boyfriend?"

Eddie nodded, "normally this would have been an easy job, I would have her released quickly. Severe trauma, blah-blah, irresponsible, blah-blah. But her performance yesterday morning, she couldn´t do something more stupid. At the moment I'm a little perplexed. I might cut Dr. Reid loose, he had no idea of the first visit, he simply stumbled into it. No one would expect him to admit a murder."

"Can I talk to them?"

Temple nodded, "your father is visiting Florence, maybe you start with Reid."  
"Chief," Reid said with relief, a few minutes later. "Thank God, we have problems here."

Rose snorted, "Problems, Dr. Reid? When I'm done with you and Florence, you´ll look back at this stay as a holiday. How could you let this happen, Spencer? Did Flo kill Richard?"

"Honestly? I don´t know," Reid groaned, "I was standing by the elevator, she did not want me to join her. A few minutes later I heard her scream, and I ran to the office. Flo was kneeling beside the body, her hand at the knife. His blood was not even clotted, Baines couldn´t be dead more than a couple of minutes."

"And you didn´t hear anything? No dispute, no fighting noise? Richard was a heavy guy, if he´d felt threatened by Flo with a knife, a nudge from him, and she´d lay on the ground."

"Maybe she hid the knife, Ma'am?"

"Flo? Never, she always fights with open sights. Who knew that she wanted to visit Richard that evening?"

"She got a text message from him, no one knew, Chief."

"Maybe the person, who wrote that text? Or Richard was not alone when he wrote it?"

"That's very speculative, Chief," Reid said in frustration.

"That's all I have, Reid." Rosslyn tiredly stood up from her chair. "you just keep calm, Spencer." She left the interrogation area.

"You!" Laura Kendall yelled, "you and your damn family! Your crazy sister stabbed my fiancée!" Laura took a step towards Rose and tried to hit her with her bag. Rose made a quick sidestep and Laura missed.

"I've already told you earlier, you have to be a lot faster, Laura," Rosslyn etched, as Laura's momentum was slowed by a desk.

"Your sister is a bitch, you know that? She fucked with Rick, behind your back!" Laura now struck back verbally, with Richard's death she had lost a lot of money, someone had to take responsibility for that.

"Don´t put dirt on my sister, Laura, maybe you can´t tolerate the echo." Rose just turned and walked towards Lt. Morse's office. Don´t let this be true, Rose thought and knew that it was probably exactly what Reid was referring to, in the hospital. Rosslyn had never felt the need for a triple bourbon that much, like this moment.

She knocked at the precinct chiefs door. "Yes please!" Rose walked into the office, "Lt. Morse? .. I am.."

"I know who you are, I´m pleased to meet you, even under this circumstances, Chief Baines. Have a seat, please. I am very sorry for your sister and your agent, but the situation left us with no choice at all. I already told your father."

Rose nodded, "but unfortunately that doesn´t help me at all. Did you know my ex-husband?"

"Only very little, Ma'am."

"Then you might know that he was not necessarily popular, are you performing further investigations?"

"Um, I don´t think that is necessary, the matter seems clear to me and the District Attorney."

"You have no objections if I´m running my own investigations instead?" and if you do, I don´t care a damn, Rose added in her thoughts. "Do what you have to do, Chief. I suppose you want to talk to your sister. Let me show you, where she is."

Charles just left his second born with a very concerned look. "Dad," Rose said and hugged her father lovingly.

"What is happening here, Rosie?" he asked, "nothing good at all, Dad," she replied, "how is she doing?" Charles sighed, "devastated, I've never seen her like this. She didn´t kill Richard, for Gods sake. No matter how it looks, Rosslyn."

Rose nodded, "I know. I'll take care of everything and I put my trust in Eddie Temple. See you at home, Dad. I brought Billie and Jack along, take care about the two of them."

"I will," Charles said and kissed Rose on the forehead. "But you have to take care too, you´re carrying my grand-child." Charles gave Rose a little smile and placed his hand on her belly.

Florence was lying on a metal bed and sobbed uncontrollably when Rose came to visit her.

"Flo," Rose said quietly and sat down beside her.

"Oh, Rosie," Flo hugged her sister violently and Rose stroke her hair, "everything will be fine, Flo, everything will be fine."

"How can you be so sure, when it's all so terrible!"

"You have to tell me everything that you've noticed in the office, Flo. Every little thing, you understand?"

Flo nodded, "the light was on, in the hallway and in the office. I didn´t see anybody, so I took a look around, I went through some files to...I was looking for something."

"I know what that was, Flo. Billie told me about it, what happened next?"

"Got a t-tissue? T-Thank you, sis." Flo sniffed. "Then I left the secretary's office to meet Richard. I entered his office and at first, I didn't see him. I thought, he was trying to play games, but...oh my gosh, Rosie. He was lying on the ground, with that knife in his chest and he was bleeding like a pig, Rosie, I bent down and wanted to see if he was still alive, but he was already dead, I swear to you, and then I called Spencer."

Florence's report was repeatedly interrupted by loud sobs, she was a total wreck. "Maybe I just confess? Tell them I did it? And I can tell them, Spencer didn´t know a thing. Maybe it´s better, they lock me away. I´m asking for trouble, Rosie. Always. Why can´t I be more like you or Corinne, Rosie? Nice and always reasonable? I´m such a bad person, sis! What are they doing to people here in Georgia?"

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, confused and shocked by Flo´s outbreak.

"Well, hanging, grilling, poison? Can I choose that? Do you think I'm going to hell, when I'm dead? 'I've slept with Richard, you know that, Rosie? And I'm so sorry, I didn´t want to, but he was so persistent and always started it, and when he was finished with me, Rosie, he said, I'm cheap, cheap and pathetic", Flo was crying uncontrollably now and clung her sister. "Officer!" Rosslyn screamed, "We need a doctor in here, quick!"

"Here," Temple said, handing Rosslyn a glass of water. "Normally I´m not fond of bringing people under medical supervision, but in this case? Flo had a nervous breakdown and is suicidal, at least this brings death penalty off the table." He patted Roses hand. "I know, how that sounds, but we have to be prepared. You don´t look good, have you eaten anything yet? Hey, officer, can someone get some sandwiches?"

"It's all right, Eddie, I´d throw up, anyway."

Temple grinned, so he was not mistaken, Rosslyn was pregnant. "You must eat, Rosslyn," he unwrapped a loaf of bread that one of the officers handed him and gave it to Rose. "Eat Rose, alright? It won´t help, if you collapse. Your sis needs you and the baby needs something to eat, too."

"You should listen to him, Rosslyn. And you better take your hands off my girl, Temple."

Eddie turned around, "I´ll be jiggered, Aaron Hotchner!" The men embraced warmly.


	7. Reasonable Doubts?

"You know each other?" Rosslyn asked in total surprise.

"Quick Eddie and I went to law school together, but then we choose different ways to go."

Temple grinned, " He has not forgiven me that I joined Darth Vader on the dark side, instead of being a decent prosecutor. You look good, man. And you made quite a good catch, one of the Evans girls. Best requirements to become a Senator or Governor sometimes."

Temple thought about that possibility for a moment, then his eyes fell on Prentiss and a wolf whistle left his lips. "Well, hello my beauty," he said and Rose suddenly knew why Aaron had called him 'quick Eddie'.

"It´s Agent Prentiss", Emily corrected him stiffly.

"What about Ohio? Did you catch the guys?" Rose wanted to know. Hotch shook his head.

" O'Neill took the case over, he said it would be a pleasure to help the chief out."

"God bless O'Neill," Rose said and wrapped herself up in Aaron´s arms.

"I'm so glad you 're here," it wasn´t much left of the bossy chief, Rose was shaking and sobbing.

"Well" Rossi said, "Hotch, you´ll take care of the chief, drive her home. Prentiss, Temple, Morgan and I will take a look at the crime scene. If I´m right, there will be no further investigations by the Atlanta PD?" Rose nodded. "As I thought. Flo is the perfect culprit, she did a good job. Let´s see, what external eyes will make out of it.

"I owe you, Dave," Hotch said.

"Gosh, no Aaron. Not for this." He patted his friend´s shoulder, "make her rest and calm her down. She´ll need all her strength, when this leads to nothing."

Rose took a deep breath. "Let me tell you something. I really appreciate, what you are doing here. And I do know, this won´t be easy. But Florence didn´t kill my ex-husband. She´s special, sometimes, but she isn´t capable of murder." Rossi nodded. "Relax, chief. We´ll find, who´s responsible."

"We´ll find, who´s responsible? From your lips to God´s ears." Morgan said, after Hotch and Rose left.

Emily punched his arm. "Don´t be that negative, all the time. You really think, Flo killed Baines?"

Morgan remained silent.

**XXX**

"All right, Mr. Temple. What..."

"Oh Eddie, please," Prentiss was interrupted by Eddie.

"Mr. Temple, what exactly have you been told by Florence?"

"They entered the building by using the side entrance and took the elevator. Dr. Reid was waiting by the elevator, Flo wanted to talk to Baines alone. So she left Reid here and made her way to the outer office."

Morgan stood near the elevator, "Ok, I 'm Reid, Prentiss, you're Flo, Rossi, you are our supposed UnSub, you're already in the office."

Emily walked through the hallway with Temple. "Flo said, the lights were on, in the secretary´s office and also in Baines office. She entered the secretary´s room and she was looking for the complaint, she opened a few drawers, looked through some papers on the desk. Then she went into Baines office and found him dead. She bent down to check his pulse. She grabbed the knife, instinctively, that´s when Dr. Reid arrived at the scene." Prentiss and Temple entered Baines office.

"Anything, Rossi?", Prentiss asked.

"The view from this office is excellent. I can overlook the whole parking lot, by looking out of this window. I can clearly see, my scapegoat is on it´s way.

Baines and I have to be very familiar, otherwise I couldn´t move here easily and I couldn´t come close to him, without causing any suspicion. I must also know how long it takes from the parking lot to this office, I can´t stab him to early, every minute counts." Rossi rubbed his face. "The UnSub has to be an insider, there is no other possibility."

Temple nodded, "perhaps there is a second one? Did you think about that? He saw Reid and Florence, entering the elevator, he called the killer and after Baines dead, all they had to do was wait. They knew, Flo will step into the trap no matter what."

Eddie started to grin. "You can hear them?"

"Whom?" Morgan asked, standing in the office now, too.

"Reasonable doubts, dear FBI, reasonable doubts!"

**XXX**

"This is where you grew up? I had no idea." Hotch asked surprised as he drove up the driveway to the Evans property.

"You don´t like it?" Rose replied, smiling, "my family made their assets with black distillery during the Prohibition, the Evans family now owns the largest distillery here in the south. My youngest sister, Corinne, will take the company over, when my Dad retires. She's in Scotland, right now, to get an inside view into another distillery." Hotch stopped in front of the main entrance and a young man opened the car door.

"Welcome Sir. Miss Rose. I 'll take care of the car and the luggage, you may leave the key in the lock, Sir."

Hotch hesitated a little at the large front door.

"Come on, Rhett, Papa O'Hara does not bite," Rose quipped and dragged Aaron into the house.

Marie immediately stormed the hallway, "Ma chere, what about Florence? Your Papa said, she was brought to the 'ospital, I can visit 'er there?"

"No, Marie, I'm so sorry, no one is allowed to visit her. But our lawyer says she is in good hands. Everything is gonna be okay Marie, you know?"

Marie tried to calm down a bit and took a deep breath .

"And you? You must be Jacques father? 'e is tres jolie, such a sweet boy, Mr. 'otchner" "Thank you, Mrs. Evans," Hotch said, glad that Jack was so adaptable.

"Non, Marie, please. Charles and the children are in the library. 'ow many rooms do we need? You did not come alone, non? "

Aaron smiled, "No, Ma'am. I brought Agents Prentiss, Morgan and Rossi along."

"Oui, then I'll take care of everything.

"Daddy!" Jack rushed to his father when he and Rose entered the library and Hotch hugged his son tightly.

"Hello son, looks like you like it here?" Jack nodded, "A lot! There are horses and dogs and kitten, Daddy. Can I have one? Oh and Rosie's Mum said, I may call her _grameer, _Daddy."

Hotch laughed, "that's very nice of Marie. We´ll talk about the kitten later, I guess," he hugged Jack again and turned to Rosslyn's father, who had a very close look at him and his daughter.

"Mr. Evans? Aaron Hotchner, I'm glad to meet you." Hotch stretched out his hand.

"Glad to meet me? We´ll see. Rose, Billie, Jack, Marie is calling."

"I didn´t hear her," Jack said and looked blankly. Billie smirked, "Oh, yes, Jacko, she was pretty loud."

She patted Hotch´s back and whispered "good luck" in his ear, before she left with her mother and Jack.

Hotch had a very unusual feeling... he felt uncomfortable.

For minutes Charles didn´t say anything, he just looked at Hotch.

"My daughter is pregnant. You´re responsible for that, Hotchner?" Charles grumbled.

"Yes, Sir."

"How could this happen? Rose is an honorable woman, Hotchner." Charles sounded angry.

"Sir, I don´t have to tell you, _how_ that happened, you have children of your own. Three of them, to be exact." Hotch replied with a smile. Hotch had the feeling, Charles wasn´t as angry as he appeared to be. He wanted, what all parents wanted, to see their children happy. And Billie and Jack must have told Charles how happy they are. Hotch was sure about that.

Charles began to laugh, "I guess I like you, Aaron."

He became serious again, "you did a pretty good job with your boy. I know how difficult it is to raise a child alone, my beloved Ella has left me very early. You honestly love my daughter?"

Wordlessly Hotch took the small box out of his pocket and handed it to Evans. He nodded as he looked at the ring. "Just perfect for my Rose."

Hotch was not sure if Charles had meant the ring or him.

"Welcome to the family, son," Charles said, hugged Hotch and poured him a bourbon. He probably meant both of us, Hotch thought.

**XXX**

A few minutes later, Hotch knocked at Billie´s room, he had noticed she wasn´t well, she smiled in the library, but he knew that smile, it was the same _'I´m not ok smile'_ that Rose sometimes showed.

"No one here," Billie informed from inside.

" It's me, Hotch, I would like to talk to you, Billie."

"Come in" Billie sat on the bed, looking all messy and sad. "It 's all my fault", Billie sobbed. "I told Flo about the lawsuit, Hotch. I made her freak out. She killed Richard because of me. You told me, to keep my mouth shut, but I knew better. I´m such a bad person." Billie sobbed again.

Hotch shook his head, " No, sweetheart. Listen to me. You´re not a bad person. And you´re _not_, listen carefully, _not_ responsible for any ones actions."

"But.."

"No but´s, Billie. Florence is a grown up and it was her decision to pay your father a visit. And believe me, Billie. Her problems with him started a long time ago, she had to clarify other things with him, also. Besides, I am sure, Flo didn´t kill him. Your aunt is a bit crazy and impulsive, but I 've seen more than one murderer, Billie your aunt is none of them. We´ll prove that, somehow. All right?"

Billie nodded.

"Anything else, you worry about?"

Billie nodded again. "My father. I...I mean... It doesn't hurt. I cried, but it was because of Flo. I know, he´s dead, but it means nothing to me. That´s not right, Hotch."

He sat down on the bed and put his arm around her, "I 'll tell you something about my father. I was older than you, when he died. But I felt the same way you do. I cried, too. But it wasn´t grief, Billie it was relief. My father wasn´t a nice man, maybe from the outside, it looked like that, it was the perfect disguise. I remember the funeral, all that...expressions of sympathy._ Too bad. What a great man and attorney. A sudden death took this loving husband_ _and father away from his family_. Every time I heard phrases like that, I felt the need to punch them in their faces and shout the truth at them. Nobody knew in what particular way he loved his family, he has beaten up my mother regularly and very, very often me, too. He showed his love with his belt, Billie. I was relieved that he died before he has even begun to beat up my little brother." Hotch had spoken very quietly, he didn´t like to talk about these things, because he wanted them where they belonged, into the past.

"That´s why you´re always so dominated and uptight? Because you're afraid you could be like him?" Billie asked, shocked. She never expected to hear such things from Hotch. "You'll never be like him, certainly not," Billie hugged Hotch tight, "I love you so much, I wish you were my father."

Rosslyn smiled and wiped a few tears away, when she heard this. She stood at door for some time, listening to that conversation. She knocked at the door frame, "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, we just finished, right Billie?"

"Yes, we did. Thank you, Hotch. For...everything." Hotch smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Morgan just called me, they might have something," Rose said with relief.


	8. Talking Past

After dinner, Rosslyn and the team once again talked about the possibilities.

"So you think it happened that way?" Rose asked Rossi.

"Yes, that´s the only option we can think of. Flo´s performance furnished the UnSub a fit occasion. In our opinion, only two possible culprits remain. Laura Kendall, the fiancée and Edith Fillmore, his secretary. Garcia is checking out both of them, also, whether there are any deeper connections to the security guard, Harold Simms."

"It struck us as odd that he had the perfect timing. Right time, right place. Too much coincidence." Prentiss said. "We also stopped the time, he was slow. Way too slow. We saw the surveillance video, Florence and Reid are clearly visible in the elevator. But there is a problem. There are no other persons on the footage, except Simms. Not in the elevator and not in the stairwell."

" If our UnSub has not vanished into thin air, then he must have taken another way out." Morgan added.

"There is a small, hidden stairwell," Rose said suddenly. "How could I ever forget this? Opposite of Richard's office there is a filing room, the stairs are narrow, but lead to a small side entrance. Richard always smuggled his bitches in and out of his office, that way."

"Do our two suspects know?" Hotch wanted to know.

"I 'm sure," Rose replied. "But I don´t get it. Richard was about to marry Laura and, right, she is stupid, but she won´t kill the goose, that lay golden eggs. And Edith? She works for Baines Construction for quite a long time, she is like inventory. I can´t imagine any motive." Rose said wearily. "Everyone knows, where his room is? For guests, the house is a bit confusing at first. I want you, to feel like home, here. There´s a pool outside, if you like. Swimsuits are in the pool house. So good night, everyone."

**XXX**

"Since when are you actually "Rosie" for Jack," Hotch asked in the bedroom.

"Since I didn´t find it bad that he slapped Andy", Rose laughed.

"Jack slapped Andy? Why did he?"

"Andy was pretty mean to Jack. He told him, I will no longer love him and Billie when we have the baby and that I am not Jack's real mum, and the worst thing was, he told Jack, he is only a step child to me."

"That was pretty stupid of Andy," Hotch said and took Rose to bed.

"I suppose, that´s what Jack thought." She clung to Aaron and put her head on his chest.

"What do you think about Ella?" he asked thoughtfully, stroking Roses back.

"What Ella do you mean?"

Hotch chuckled, "_our _Ella, Mum," he said.

"My mother´s name was Eleanor, Dad always called her Ella. I do remember that."

"I guess, Ella Hotchner sounds very pretty," Hotch reiterated his suggestion.

"You really want little dwarfy to be a girl, right?"

"First and foremost little dwarfy should be safe and sound, but a girl would be just perfect. We could do a 3D ultrasound, what do you think?"

Rose was surprised, "How do you know such things exist? I´m impressed."

"I did some research, woman."

She giggled softly. "You´re reading advice books secretly, do you?"

Hotch decided to remain silent and kissed her.

"By the way, It was courageous, telling Billie about your father." Rose said a little later, "I didn´t know, it was that bad."

"I try to think as little as possible about this, Rosslyn. Been a long time."

"But it still affects you, I heard that. That´s why you see your brother so little?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it, Sean is so much younger than me and we don´t have much in common, he's a cook."

"For God's sake, a cook? This is terrible, how could this happen?"

"That's not funny, Rose," Hotch said.

"Oh come on, Aaron. It is. A cook in a family of lawyers. I´d conceal that, too" Rose giggled again.

"You're a silly, little girl, you know that?"

Rose became serious, "it helps me not to think about Flo and Spencer, otherwise I´d go crazy, you know?"

Hotch put his arms a little tighter around her. "I do understand, Rosie. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything you want, Aaron," she replied.

"Why did you marry Richard Baines?"

Rose sighed, "I was Gideon's protégé, I suppose you know, he literally dragged me right out of college into the Academy. We were close, too close. If you know, what I mean. There was this case, the Chelsea strangler in NYC. I went undercover, without Gideon´s knowledge. This girls, they were about my age. I let it come too close to me. Jason was pissed when he found out. He wanted me out, asap, but Davies, the strangler he was already targeting me. He kidnapped me and he nearly killed me. Two knife wounds, one in the abdomen, one in my thigh. Afterwards I was completely messed up. I thought Jason would be there for me, but that was a mistake. He could not get rid of me fast enough. I returned to Atlanta, to recover. That´s when I met Richard. He gave me the security I needed at that time. I know, what you think, Aaron. Richard wasn´t always an asshole. But I guess, he never really loved me at all. He probably thought, I was a good breeding material for his Baines Construction Dynasty."

Rose took a deep breath. "You can imagine his disappointment when Billie was _just_ a girl. It was the beginning of the end. So to speak. Since Billie was old enough, she was desperately trying to get her father´s attention. Seing her useless efforts, made me crazy. Not to forget Richard´s affairs. Someday I grabbed my child and left. End of story."

"Did you ever talk to Gideon again?" Hotch asked.

"No, but the BAU has never left my mind, and then there was Drew´s offer, it was too good to say no. But, I 've been thinking, Aaron. Billie was almost raped by Kevin. And now Flo...I treated Billie nearly as an adult and I was so mistaken. I have to pay more attention to my whole family. I made a lot of mistakes, along the way, Aaron. This won´t happen to me again. I´ll take a break, when little dwarfy is born, for at least three years."

"I guess, that's a good idea," Hotch was surprised, but understood why Rose wanted to do that. She had his full support.

**XXX**

Florence was sitting in her bed in the psychiatric ward of the Atlanta Medical Center. She looked at the blank, white wall, spitting out the pills, the nurse gave her. She saw no big difference between the hospital and the jail. The psycho-doc, she was talking to earlier, pretended to be an understanding person, but spoke of _self-destructive tendencies_. What a moron, I'm not crazy, Flo thought. I did not kill Richard and Rose will get me out of here. She felt sorry for Spencer, for the second time she had put him in an impossible situation. Spencer, who was nothing more than just sweet to her. Flo was quite aware, her behavior was going to put her in a loony bin or maybe in jail, unless a miracle happened. She was afraid of both possibilities. She wanted to be a good and loving aunt for Rosie and Aaron's baby, and of course also for Billie and Jack. And she was in love with Spencer, big time. Florence realized, she had to change. Dramatically.


	9. No Comment

When Rose woke up in the morning, Hotch was already gone. But not without leaving her a small post-it note on his pillow. Rose smiled, Aaron was always good for a surprise.

_Take care of yourself, we´ll handle everything, love you both._

I love you, too, Rose thought and stood up. She was on her way into the bathroom, when she heard the knock at the door. "Mum? Are you awake? We have got you some breakfast."

"Come in," Rosslyn said. Billie and Jack came into the bedroom armed with trays.

"Good Lord, who is supposed to eat all this stuff?" Rose asked.

"I can help you eat the pancakes, Rosie," Jack offered, "and the fluffy french thing" he put the tray on the bed and crawled carefully afterwards.

"Come and eat, Rosie. Daddy told me to watch." he said seriously. Billie dragged her mother to the bed.

"Yes, Dad said we should take good care," she said, smiling.

**XXX**

A good while later, Rose stood in front of her wardrobe and cursed loudly.

"Is everything all right with you, cherie?" Marie asked and came into the room.

"My clothes don´t fit."

Rosslyn sighed and Marie started laughing. "You 're going to need a lot of new clothes, ma chere, and you 'll look tres jolie in it. I kept a few of my things in the attic. Come on, maybe something will be just right for you, non?"

**XXX**

The team split up, Morgan and Prentiss went to visit Laura Kendall, Hotch and Rossi to question Edith Fillmore.

"By the way, Prentiss. How are things going with _Quick Eddie_?" Morgan asked mockingly, Temple casted more than a covetous eye on Emily and courted her constantly. Prentiss looked out of the window, trying to look unconcerned and desperately trying to ignore Morgan´s taunts. She found Temple quite nice, but he was not her type, not at all, Emily thought. Right?

"Over there on the right," she said referring to the navigation system.

"I´m wondering, if the Southerners are able to do something in a small way?" Morgan growled at the sight of Baines estate.

Prentiss laughed, "I don´t think so, Morgan."

Morgan stopped and they rang the bell at the front door.

"Yes please?" A maid opened the door. "Agent Prentiss and Morgan, we would like to talk to Miss Kendall," Morgan said.

"Of course, please come in," the girl led them into the living room, "Miss Kendall will appear in a couple of minutes. Please, have a seat."

Prentiss looked around, "there are hardly any pictures of Billie, just two of them and they are definitely older." Prentiss wrinkled her nose, "my room would be plastered with pictures of my child, if I had one" she said thoughtfully, "what do you think, who will inherit all this here?"

Morgan shrugged, "certainly not Kendall, engaged is not married."

With a theatrical sobbing Laura entered the living room, she was wearing black from head to toe. "What do you want from me? Can´t you see, I´m mourning my loss? " She blew her nose loudly into her monogrammed handkerchief.

Morgan grinned, 100 points for the show.

"Miss Kendall, we would like to know your whereabouts, when Richard Baines was killed," Prentiss asked and Laura got angry, "I don´t see why I´d tell you this. The perpetrator is already sitting in jail. This bitch is guilty like hell! She ruined my life and she is going to pay for it!"

"There are doubts, Miss Kendall. You and Mrs. Fillmore, you overheard that Miss Evans was threatening Mr. Baines, didn´t you?" Morgan replied.

"And Miss Evans told you about the affair, she had with your fiancée, a couple of years ago. Sounds like motive to me, don´t you think, Morgan?" Emily asked. Morgan nodded, "sounds good enough for me."

"Fine," Laura snapped and dropped her mask. "You´re right, I heard exactly what this Evans-bitch said and I was angry about what she told me. When I confronted Richard, he denied it. The bitch is right in one point, Rick was an asshole. But seriously? Take a look around. You think, I´m stupid enough to kill someone, who´s that rich and is about to marry me?"

**XXX**

Hotch and Rossi didn´t catch Edith Fillmore at home and drove to Baines office. "How did you actually calm down the Chief and made her stay at home?" Rossi asked and Hotch was grinning a bit. "I didn´t wake her up, when I left, come on, Dave. A discussion with a pregnant woman? There is nothing in it, but losing." Rossi laughed when he got out of the car, "looks like she is the boss, Aaron."

They entered the building and showed her badges at the counter.

"There's the FBI, come on," the reporter shouted at his camera man, "Excuse me, Bud Aimes, Atlanta Daily News. Is there any statement, you can give us?"

"No comment," Hotch muttered indignantly.

"But one of your colleagues, Dr. Reid and Miss Florence Evans were arrested for murder. Miss Evans had a breakdown and is now under medical observation at the Atlanta Medical Center, there is also no comment to this? Is Atlanta PD still in charge or did the FBI take the investigations over? FBI Section Chief Baines is the victims ex-wife and Miss Evans is her sister, is there a conflict of interest? Is the FBI covering up something?"

Aaron crossed his arms and stared at Aimes. "Mr. Aimes, what about NO COMMENT didn´t you understand?" Hotch asked quietly, still staring at Aimes, who was speechless at once.

"That´s what I thought," Hotch said and entered the elevator with Rossi.

"What?"

"I am always fascinated when you do that," Rossi grinned and pressed the button for the 10th floor.

**XXX**

"Oh, this looks so good on you, ma chere," Marie said. They were able to find Marie´s clothing's, they were very well-kept. Now Marie sat on her stepdaughter´s bed and watched Rose putting them on.

"I can hardly believe that it´s over 20 years since Corinne was born. Does she like it, over there in Scotland?"

"I guess so. She want´s to marry Liam McGregor, the younger brother. She told us lately. But I know 'im, Rose. Such a boring person, 'e isn´t the right one. Rinna 'as to think that over."

"Maybe she is in love with him, Marie?"

"Ah, merde. She isn´t. She can´t be."

Rose reached for another piece of clothing, "I guess, that's a little short for me, don´t you think?" Rose was about a head taller than Marie, this dress was pretty short, Rose wasn´t sure about it.

"Bon. You´ve got so nice legs, Rose. You can show them. And I guess, your 'otch also likes them very much, 'e always 'as that special look at you. A good lover, n' est-ce pas?" Marie asked bluntly and Rosslyn turned red.

"Oh my gosh, did you hear us? " Rose asked, startled.

"We always sleep with our window open, cherie. But don´t you worry, your Papa didn´t 'ear anything. Was sleeping like a...meerkat."

Rose giggled, "It´s marmot, Marie."

"I said that, non?"

**XXX**

"Actually, I´m about to slap you, pretty boy", Morgan told Reid in the visitor's room. "Did you lose your mind, completely? I told you, this Florence-person is pure poison, dammit!" Spencer looked grim, "Don´t lecture me, Derek! I know what I'm doing. I love her."

"You know what you're doing? Then you wanted to go to jail? Let's see what the other side is like? A little hint from me, smart ass, if somebody asks for the soap in the shower, don´t bend down, for God's sake!" Derek was pissed at Reid and vented his anger loudly.

" Knock it off, Morgan. I understand that you 're upset, but I am neither a child, nor do I owe you any justification. Actually, you sound jealous to me? Are you keen on Flo?"

"Keen on Flo? Not even if she was the last girl living on this planet!"

"What the hell?" Prentiss asked, entering the room armed with three coffee to go.

"You´re listening to yourselves, guy´s? Gosh. We got some other problems, if I might remind you about that. Kendall was a dead-end, a meeting with the local women's association, a lot of witnesses. What remains is the secretary, Fillmore. I hope Hotch and Rossi have more luck with her."

Em put the coffee on the table, "otherwise it looks bleak, Reid."

Men, Prentiss thought. The world was crushing down and they disputed like tinkers, about what, exactly? If Edith Fillmore was a dead-end like Kendall, then it would no longer matter, who was just keen on whom.


End file.
